Vulcanizer



May 14 1940 i G. P. BosoMwoRTH 2,200,87l

VULCANIZER Filed June 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR EoRqE P. BoSoMwoR-rH ATTORN EYS May 14, 1940- y -G. P. BosoMwoRTl-s VULCANIZER Filed Jne 18, 195s 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR 650mg; R asmyvaer# ATTORNEYS l Patented May 14, 1940 mirri-:o` .sTA'rlezs maar t PATENTA OFFiCE vULoANIzER i -George P. Bosomworth, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The Firestone Tire'& Rubber Company, Akron, v, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio `Application June 18, 19,38,` Serial No.`214,61

a: y y v i 5 Claims.l

This invention relates to vulcanizers, such as the so-called watch case vulcanizers used Vin the rubber industry for the molding and vulcan- Aizing of pneumatic tire casings and inner tubes,

.J5 and more especially it relates to improved means for opening and closing-the vulcanizer, vand improved safety features that vare operative upon the failure ofv said opening and closingmeans.

The chief objects of the invention are to pro- 10 vide a vulcanizer of compact design; to provide for ample "head room above the vulcanizer whereby changing of the cavity molds in the vulcanizer is facilitated; to provide safety mechanism that prevents* accidental closing "of .the

'i5 vulcanizer due to failure of any of its parts; to provide mechanismengageable with the lid or coverA of the vulcanizer tol tilt the same to an angle that facilitates the changing of a Vmold section therein; andto provide a superior ar- ;20 rangement of fluid pressure operatedy cylinders for opening and closing the vulcanizer whereby stresses set up by the cylinders are confined to the base casting of the vulcanizer. Other objects will be manifest as the specification pro- Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vulcanizer embodying the invention, the lid or cover thereof being shown in elevated or open position; and

30 Figure 2 is ar front elevation of the vulcanizer `35 section or cover H, said sections being arranged tol part on a ,horizontal plane, the cover section being uppermost. The stationary section l0 is positioned relativelyclose to the floor, being mounted upon a pair of laterally disposed chan- 140 nel-shaped supportslZ, I2 at each side thereof,

and a reinforced post VI3 rising from the floor beneath the front portion thereof. 4The marginal portion of section I0, which is at the top thereof, v

is circumscribed by an annular locking ring i4, that rests upon brackets i5, I5 carried by the vulcanizer section. Thek locking ring is formed with the usual inwardly extending bayonet lugs (not shown) lthatAco--operate withr the bayonet lugs I6, i5 on the lower margin of the cover Il 50 for locking the vulcanizer inthe closed condition thereof shown in Figure 2. For moving the locking ring angularly, the usual rack il is mounted lupon base section l0, which rack is meshed with a gear segment i8 pivotal'ly carried by the lock- ,5'5 ing ring, said segment' beingprovided with an operating lever i9 for manual operation thereof. Removably mounted within the vulcanizer sections lil, H are the respective mating section of a two part cavity mold (not shown) lwithinwhich work is vulcanized. l Means also is provided for k.5 conducting vulcanizing fluid, such as steam, to

the vulcanizer, but since these features constitute no part of the invention, the illustrationi and description thereof are believed not to be necessary.

At the rear of the vulcanizer, at opposite sides l0 thereof, are upstanding frame membersor standards 2|, 2|, in the upper part of which are located respective bearing structures 22, the latter supporting a heavy pivotpin 23 that is journaled `Spanning the space between standardsk 2l and supported at its ends atop the latter, is a cross member 26 made up of angle irons disposed back to back, the purpose o-f which presently will be .25 explained.l The lever arms 24 are swingable so as to move the cover H between the closed position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings and the .open position shown in Figure 1 thereof, the

pivot pin 23 being so positioned that its axis is y30 slightly above the axis of the pivots`25 when the cover Il is in closed position, as indicated in broken lines in' Figure 1. Since the cover Il is pivotally mounted in the ends of lever armsl 24, it will be apparent that the cover will be in parallel- 35 ism with they `stationary section lil during its initial movement of separation therefrom, and during the final phase'of its closing movement therewith. Furthermore, because of the angular position ofthe lever armsr 24, the cover will vary 40 but slightly from axial lalignment with the vulcaniZer section Ill during said initial opening movement and final closing movement. The arrangement is such as to avoid the pinching or displacement of work in the vulcanizer during 4:5l

the closing thereof.

` For raising and lowering the lever arms 2d to open and close the vulcanizer, a pair of double acting fluid pressure operated cylinders 2d. are provided. The cylinders 28 are positioned at 50 each side of the vulcani'zer, substantially in verti cal position, and each is pivoted at 29, near its upper end, in the stationary vulcanizer 'section lil anda bracket-like standard 3i] positioned laterally thereof. ,The respective piston rods 32er -the ,55

*6,0 ing portion :Ath of lever armee, .andtherebyoto' cylinders 29 have their outerends pivotally connected at 32 to the lever arms 2t adjacent the free ends of the latter, said-lever arms thus consti- The length ci i i the cylinders 2B is such that shallow. pits '3S are Flexi# tuting levers vof 'the third class.'

required to receive the lower ends thereof. ble inlet and outlet pipes 34, 35 communicate with the .upperand .lower tends respectively of i and out of operative `position automatically fin i `3`0 fat the cylinders 23, said pipes extending to e :four:- way operating valve 36 mounted upon one of the supporting plates I2. `with a source of pressure fluid' (not shown)A Valve 36 is manually operated the valve to admit pressure fluid to the lower end of cylinder 2S and discharge fluid from the :upper end of said cylinder, whereby the oever .il ,is

maintained in the elevated position shown. .'ConH i eso .that when r`the :lever VYarms f2!! are ullyraised' ditions are reversed when lever 38 is inthe posi tion shewnin broken'lines'in fsad :figure i'Ifhev vulcanizer comprises .safety mechanism "thati is engageable with vthe 'cover '.structure -i l,

when lthefcover is in elevated position,.:to .prevent 'descent'of lthe. cover in tease of failure 'of 'ithelfluid fpressure supply or in case Aof failureof the v'pivot pin 3.2, said safety mechanism 'being'mevediinto determinate 'time relation 'tothe operationoff'zthe valve 36. Said safety V'mechanism comprisesl 'a pair of upright posts-.49, llllpositioned attherear of .thefvulcanizen between'the lever arms Zd'land Nin vfrontoi the pivot gpinf23. At its ilowerxen'd ea/ch post ltiiszpivotally mounted. at Mnapair ofsuitablejournal brackets mounte`d ;onthe;oor. 'The upper `'ends of the-posts di) areprovided with respective .caps d2, y.and journal'edfin said capsis a horizontal rod or bar 4.3. Journaledfupon lthe rrod :4.3, between caps '9.2, Yis :a sleeve 44 to vthe opposite ends of which are secured, as by weldiug, respective 1U-shaped vlmetaliloops o-rrclevises t5, d5. Thefsleevea .is secured to one legiof :each devis, :both legs'thereoi Vbeing Yapertured :to

eadniittherod d3. The legsofthe clevisesst-rad- `idle the caps A2, andthe :outsidefleg vci loneof theclevise's (themearest one asviewedqinFigure :1) has-thehub portion of a lever arm 4-6 .perrnanentlySecured thereto as by welding. The lever y:arm dt ihasa "rearwardly extendingiportion feta,

iseculted toithe top of ycap d2 --andan adjustable `stopascrew 59 is'niountedin the/outer end v,otsaid arm infposition to engage the forwardlyextend- :limit :the angular movement of thexlatter -imder `the .impetus of tension spring rl'l.

:clevises d5 fare .in the angular position shown in Figure 1. Each cap 42 has abracket formation on the rear thereof, and:pivotallyconnected to isaid bracket, by 'a'.removable pivot pin'52, isa

prop or rod 53, the other end 'oisaidtrod .being connected by a removable lpin'54 to 'a .bracket 55 that is mountedgupon'the cross member 26, at the top of standard 2l. Normally the props 53 hold the posts 4t somewhat in forwardly inclined position, as shown in full linesin Figure 1. Removalofpins 52 or et enables props 53 to be dis- Saidvalve has connection When the fmeniber. li'bfis n'contact withfstopscrewl the' ber Z5, as shown in broken lines in Figure l, upon occasion as presently will be explained.

-, As previously stated, the vulcanizer cover rIl is Y in parallelism with the stationary section Il) during the initial phaseof its rising or opening movement. .It is desirable, however, thatiniullyopen ,position the cover should 'be tilted 'so as to be more accessible for.l the cleaning of the mold sec- Jtion therein. To this end a pair of rspaced apart "abutment members 58, 58 are mounted upon the l V.Linder side lof cross member 26, and project :thezcover is. ingthezangular ,posit-ion; shown in full -cover isdesired,- pinsyt: or 521i 4o'ltheposts 49-may removed, l anditheflatter manually .moved 4.to

,the gpositionshewn infbroken Ilines in Figure -1,

fin-:which position vthe fcover Il .will iba-disposed more .v-nearly .in verticakplane.

.Whenithelpostsigdil arein theiiull lineposit-ion I lao shown' in the ;drawin g s,andtheclevises .65 are :thefangular position shown-in .Figmte -1, said .lclevises are in'positien automatically.-tov'engage .respective hook members 89 `mounted...on .top o f .vulcanizerfcover i=l,-.when saidcover 4is elevated .fto -f-ullylopen position bythe cylinders..23. The hooks 5i! :preferably-are `welded to the cover,u and :cachhas a somewhat pointed or tapered'upper and to enable .f-i-t to tilt 1 the clevis `45, againstthe .tensionoflspring?, so that the clevis'.may move i :into-the recessor notch tlfof the hook. lnthis lposition ottheapparatusythe clevises'willpre l vent..descent. of the cover l'lfzdueto failure of the .pressure Vin cylinders-.28,'Qr-du to breakage in the cover-lifting linkage. .Normallythenotches iii are clearof the clevises, as shown in Figure .1, E. so as to enable the..clevises.readily to.bemoved outof engagement with thehooka as is necessary :before the cover can Ybe lowered.

The moving of ,the .clevisesout of engagement vwith the hooks Sil `iseffected concurrently with the operation of -valve 3.5, #and tothis end ka cable is connected-tothe freeend .ofpo-rtion 45h oiflever arm,.said cable eXtendingdown-- -wardly therefrom and yheine; .trained labout a tsheave-.onpulleyt that vis carriedbya bracket .$5 l:mountedupon a Acrossei-nernber615 connecting" tandards.,2l,=tl;`e yother end of said .cableheing connectedfto .the operating-lever .3.8 of `valve ,35. Ylhearransement.is .such .that when the -.oper-atingolever lifs .moved tothe positionshownin `lair-cken .lines `in Figure `to charge .the .upper rendfof .cylinder 4Eiland concurrentlytodischarge its .lower yend and thereby to lower thev cover iL-the cable isdravmtaut 5and tilts the olevises i4-5, 'against the tension ofispring lL-thereby With- :dra-w-ing said 'rclevises freni roperative `engagement J. -isproviderl with yan eyetl by means of whichv`r Vthe ceverfrnay beengaged by-a hook 681m a cable zfroman overheadpulley lblock (not shown),y the .latter being positioned so "as to exert a rearwardv pull on the cover. The pulley block is utilized vWhen it is `desired yto change the mold section within the cover Il. By lowering the arms 24 in the manner previously described, while the front of the cover is drawn rearwardly by the cable 68, the cover is caused to swivel about pivot points 25, and is easily lowered, in inverted position, upon the stationary vulcanizer section HJ. The mold section Within the cover Il is readily removed or replacedl when the cover is in this position.

The vulcanizer is small and compact, it is of relatively simple construction, it is safe to operate, and it achieves the other objects set out in the foregoing statement of objects.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope thereof as dened by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a vulcanizer of the character described, the combination of stationary lower vulcanizer section, a removable cover therefor, a pair of lever arms pivoted at one end to a fixed point and extending along opposite sides of said cover, the free ends of the lever arms being pivotally connected to the cover at diametrically opposite points thereof, and respective iluid pressure cylinders connected to said arms for raising and lowering the same, said fluid pressure cylinders being pivotally mounted below said lever arms and connected thereto intermediate the ends thereof.

2. In a vulcanizer of the character described, the combination of a stationary lower vulcanizer section, a removable cover thereon, a framework at one side of the vulcanizer, a pair of lever arms pivotally mounted thereon and extending to opposite sides of the cover, the free ends of said lever arms being pivotally connected to said cover substantially on a diametric axis, which axis is parallel to the axis of oscillation of the lever arms and slightly below the same in the closed position of the vulcanizer, and means connected to said lever arms for moving them angularly to raise and lower said cover with relation to the stationary section.

3. A combination as defined in claim 2 in which the means for angularly moving the lever arms consists of respective uid pressure cylinders disposed below said arms and pivotally mounted upon the framework of the apparatus.

4. A vulcanizer of the character described, comprising a removable cover, lever arms at opposite sides of the cover in the free ends of which the cover is pivotally mounted upon a horizontal axis, means engaging said lever arms for moving the same angularly to raise and lower the cover, a safety device engageable with said cover in the elevated position thereof for preventing descent of the cover upon failure of the raising and lowering means, and means supporting said safety device, said means comprising upright, spacedv apart posts that are pivotally mounted at their lower ends below the bottom plane of the cover when the latter is in closed position.

5. A combination as defined in claim 4, including means for maintaining said posts alternatively in either of two positions of inclination from the vertical.

GEORGE P. BOSOMWORTH. 

